Solutions employing herbicides and buffered amine oxides to kill weeds and related methods

ABSTRACT

Solutions for killing weeds include a herbicide admixed with a buffered amine oxide. The synergism between the two components reduces the amount of herbicide which must be employed to achieve an effective weed kill. Related methods involve application of the solution to the weeds to be killed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improved solutions for killing weeds byemploying herbicides in combination with buffered amine oxides and tomethods employing such solutions.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The problem of weeds has long existed in many environments including,but not limited to agriculture, parks, golf courses, residentialenvironments, highways, vegetable gardens, floral gardens, railroadtracks, recreational facilities, forests, pastures, waterways and inmany other environments. Weeds can interfere with desired functionality,the health of adjacent plants, as well as the aesthetics of an areacontaining vegetation.

Weeds also can present numerous health problems for people and animals.Weeds can also have a role in affecting the quality of human life suchas those afflicted with allergies, for example. Also, health problemscan result from airborne pollen from plants, such as ragweed, or directcontact with plants such as poison ivy or poison oak or poison sumac,for example.

It has been known to employ various types of herbicides to kill weeds.Two very well-known herbicides are Glyphosates, which kills weeds andgrass such as that sold under the trade designation Roundup, forexample, and 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, also known as 2,4-D. whichkills weeds, but not grass, such as that sold under the tradedesignation Weed Warrior, for example. Systemic herbicides have alsobeen known.

Ward, U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,960 discloses a method and solution forproviding enhanced penetration of wood preservatives into wood to agreater depth through synergism between a buffering agent and an amineoxide. It contemplates the use of various types of wood preservatives onwood after it has been severed from a living tree. Green lumber is alsosaid to be treatable by the system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,731 is directed toward a fire-retardant wood-basedcomposite created by treating a green wood furnish with aphosphate/borate fire-retardant material. The fire-retardant treatedgreen wood furnish is blended with a binder and then bound by applyingpressure to form a non-leaching fire retardant wood based composite.

European patent publication EP 2615921 discloses an amine and amineoxide surfactants for controlling sprayed herbicide so as to avoidundesired drift of the sprayed material. This is said to be accomplishedby controlling the droplet size, as smaller droplets are said to have ahigher propensity for off-target movement. Undesired drift is said tocause damage to plants in a manner not desired.

Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,788 discloses the use of amine oxides aswood preservatives. It states that the amine oxides inhibit microbialgrowth in wood. This patent relates to wood which has been severed fromgrowing trees and discloses the use of wood preservatives which are saidto inhibit destructive organisms such as fungi and sapstain, forexample. This disclosure is not directed toward destroying living weedsbut, rather, the focus is on preserving structural integrity of woodafter the tree has been killed and resisting destruction of theresultant lumber as the prime objective.

Tseng, U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,869 discloses the use of amine oxides toenhance the performance of boron compounds as wood preservatives. Thereis mention of the amine oxides improving the effectiveness of boroncompounds as insecticides or biocides and plant growth regulatingagents. They are also said to provide better dispersion of boroncompounds when applied to plants and fungi. It also makes reference tothe seeds of plants and the area on which the plants or fungi grow.There is no disclosure directed toward killing of weeds or other plants.

There remains, therefore, a very real and substantial need for animproved system for more economically achieving the objectives of (a)destroying weeds or (b) destroying weeds and grass while resistingdamage to or destruction of desired plants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Depending upon whether the objective is to kill weeds, but not grass, orweeds and grass, a herbicide suitable for that purpose is selected andcombined with the buffered amine oxide to create the solution with theconcentration of the combined herbicide and buffered amine oxideappropriate for the targeted plant or plants to be killed.

In a preferred practice of the invention, a buffered amine oxide systemis employed as an additive to herbicidal formulations in order toenhance the performance of the herbicides on weeds. This enhancementresulted in a larger amount of weed kill while using less herbicide thanotherwise would be required to effect a lesser or the same level of weedkill.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and relatedsolution for using a sprayable composition of a herbicide and a bufferedamine oxide formulation to destroy weeds or destroy weeds and grasses.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an efficient andeconomical solution and method of application employable in thedestruction of weeds or weeds and grasses, which can employ conventionalmeans of distribution of the solution on the targeted plants.

It is a further object of the present invention to destroy undesired anduncontrolled weeds which can have a significant negative impact onproduction of agricultural products and the health of a wide variety ofother desired plants.

It is a further object of present invention to provide such a systemwhich, through selection of the herbicide, will result in destruction ofweeds, while not destroying adjacent plant life such as, for example,desired grasses.

It is a further object of the present invention to enhance theperformance of herbicides to create a higher degree of weed kill usingless herbicide.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution andrelated method which enhances the performance of herbicides by combiningthem with buffered amine oxides to produce a synergistic effect.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a system whichwill permit visual determination that the desired kill has beenaccomplished without requiring special inspection equipment or testing.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide solutionsemploying herbicides and buffered amine oxides to kill weeds and relatedmethods wherein admixed with said solutions and employed in such methodsare insecticides, fungicides or both to preserve living plants which mayreceive some of the solution during use of the methods of the presentinvention.

These and other objects of the invention will be fully understood fromthe following description of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As employed herein, the term “weed” or “weeds” means a living plant inany part of its life cycle which is growing where it is not wanted, andis sought to be killed through use of the present invention. The term“weed” has only limited botanical significance as a plant may be a weedin one context, but not another such as dandelions growing in the middleof a lawn, as opposed to dandelions being grown for use in salads, forexample. Another example would be a plant such as honeysuckle, kudzu orcertain grasses which might be desirable within certain confines but,due to aggressive reproduction or invasiveness outside of its originallocation, becomes a plant which is, to that extent, undesirable and,therefore, would be considered a weed. In addition to those weeds whichwere subject to testing reported herein in TABLES 1 through 14, amongthe plants frequently considered weeds are the following: Bermuda grass,bindweed, broad leaf plants, broadleaf plantain, woody plants, burdock,common lambsquarters, Virginia creeper, creeping Charlie, dandelion,goldenrod, Japanese knotweed, kudzu, leafy spurge, milk thistle, poisonivy, ragweed, fern,sorrel, striga, St. John's wort, sumac, radiata pine,tree of heaven, bamboo, which is a hollow grass, wild carrot, woodsorrel and yellow nutsedge, for example.

As employed herein, “kill” or “killed” means with respect to a weed,that the weed is dead and decayed.

As employed herein, the term “grass” or “grasses” means a plant of thefamily “true grasses” sedges and rushes, Graminoid (or Poaceae)characterized by mostly herbaceous, but sometimes woody plants withhollow and jointed stems, narrow sheathing leaves, petalles flowersborne in spikelets and fruit in the form of seed-like grain. Such plantsare frequently employed collectively in lawns or employed as pasture forgrazing animals or as ornamental plants or cut and dried as hay. Thisterm shall also include, but not be limited to, bamboo, sugar cane, aswell as cereal grains such as barley, corn, oats, rice, rye and wheat.

As employed herein, the term “2,4-D” means the herbicide having as anactive ingredient 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its salts and othertypes of related formulations.

The amine oxides may be mixed with buffers in a solvent, such as water,to create a buffered amine oxide solution and then mixed with aherbicide solution. The preferred amine oxides are selected from thegroup consisting of (a) the 12 carbon length amine oxides such as thatsold under the trade designation Barlox 12 and (b) a mixture of the 12and 18 carbon lengths sold under the trade designation Barlox 1218. Thebuffer system has the property that the pH of the solution changes verylittle when a small amount of a strong acid or strong base is added toit. Buffer solutions are employed as a means of keeping pH at a nearlyconstant value within a wide range of chemical operations. In thepresent invention, the buffer system helps to maintain a substantiallyconstant pH when in contact with biological systems, such as livingplants.

As employed herein, a “buffer system” is an aqueous solution consistingof a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base withits conjugate acid. A buffer system may also be obtained by adding aweak acid/conjugate base or a weak base/conjugate acid or by adding theweak acid/weak base and a strong acid/strong base in sufficient amountto form the conjugate acid/conjugate base.

The buffer system concepts can be extended to polyprotic species inwhich one or more protons may be removed to form different buffersystems, i.e., phosphate systems. Among the preferred buffers areammonium salt/ammonia, Deprotonated Lysine/Doubly Deprotonated Lysine,Potassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate, Boric Acid/Borax, Potassium PhosphateDibasic/Potassium Phosphate Tribasic, Ammonium Citrate Tribasic, andPotassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic.

It will be appreciated that the buffered amine oxides do notsignificantly alter the pH of the herbicide products but, rather, makethe pH much less likely to change based on the buffer capacity of thebuffer additives.

A series of tests were performed in North America and in New Zealand todetermine the effectiveness as week killers of a wide variety ofherbicides and buffered amine oxide systems in different concentrations.The herbicides used in these tests were: 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic aciddimethylamine salt (herein “2,4-D”) (which can be used alone or mixedwith other chlorophenoxy types), glyphosate (glyphosate salts and otherformulations of glyphosate), and a blend of picrolam and triclopyr.

EXAMPLE 1

A series of field trials were conducted in order to evaluate the effectof buffered amine oxide additives employed with herbicides for thekilling of weeds. Concentrates of the buffered amine oxide and herbicidewere diluted with water either in separate containers with subsequentcombination thereof to create the solution or, in the alternative, theconcentrates were placed in the same container with subsequent dilutionwith water.

Details regarding the field tests and results performed in North Americaare shown in TABLES 1 through 8. The results of field tests conducted inNew Zealand are presented in TABLES 9 through 14.

The weeds chosen for testing in the respective geographic regions wereselected because of their relative significance as a potentiallytroublesome plants in either North America or New Zealand with someconsideration being given to the effectiveness of the two dominantcommercial herbicides, i.e., 2,4-D and Glyphosate in combination with anumber of buffered amine oxide systems in a number of concentrations.Also, economic aspects regarding the economic benefit of reducing theamount of herbicide required to achieve the same or a superior resultwas given consideration.

The following weeds were tested in the United States: raspberry, grass,multiflora rose and blackberry. The weeds tested in New Zealand werebroom, fern, and gorse, blackberry and fesques.

TABLE 1 Buffered Weed Type and Herbicide Type Amine Oxide Kill⁽¹⁰⁾ Rate(%) Product Concentration Formulation⁽⁸⁾ 1 Year After Dilution V/VDilution Application⁽⁵⁾ 2,4-D⁽⁶⁾ Glyphosate⁽⁷⁾ V/V⁽⁹⁾ Raspberry Grass⁽⁴⁾ 0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾  0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾  50:1  60⁾ — 100:1  0 — 200:1  0 —  50:1 — 50⁾ 100:1 — 0 200:1 —  0  50:1  0  0 100:1  0  0 200:1  0  0  50:1  50:1 100 —100:1 100:1  80 — 200:1 200:1  60 —  50:1  50:1 — 90 100:1 100:1 — 90200:1 200:1 — 70

TABLE 1 shows the result of using the distilled water solutions on (a)20 mature raspberry plants and (b) 10 plots of 90,000 square millimetersof grass plants. The grasses were of mixed types and included fesquegrasses. Twenty milliliters per plant or plot was applied with lowvolume hand applied volumetric sprayer. The same quantity and mode ofapplication were employed in the tests reported in TABLES 7 and 8.

The commercial herbicide mixture concentrate shown in column 1contained:

-   -   4.55% Dimethylamine salt of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and    -   4.58% Dimethylamine salt of 2-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)        propionic acid, and    -   4.53% Dimethylamine salt of 2-(2,4-Dichlorophenoxy) propionic        acid

The commercial herbicide concentrate shown in column 2 containedglyphosate which was 27% glyphosate isopropylamine salt.

The buffered amine oxide formula (column 3) based upon weight percentwas 8.67% water, 14.00 ethylene glycol, 8.85 5 Mol Borax, 7.48% boricacid, 61.00 Barlox 12 (70% water and 30% amine oxide).

The control was distilled water without herbicide or buffered amineoxide.

In preparing the herbicide solutions the product label instructions wereemployed.

The field tests resulting in the data contained in TABLE 1 wereperformed during the period of Jun. 2, 2004 through Jun. 10, 2005. Theplants were checked every three months after spraying.

Referring to TABLE 1, column 1 under the herbicide type is the 2,4-Dherbicide and column 2 is glyphosate with each indicating severaldifferent concentrations. The buffered amine oxide system dilutionvolume to volume is stated in column 3. When the buffered amineformulation is combined with one of the two herbicides, theconcentration listing refers to the total solution with the bufferedamine oxide formulation added to the herbicide. Under the weed-type andkill rate in percentage, the first column refers to raspberry plants andthe second to grass of mixed varieties. The examination occurred oneyear after application. This does not mean that it took that long tokill the plant when killing occurred which is much earlier but, rather,to verify that killing had, in fact, occurred.

Considering first the results of raspberry viewed one year afterapplication, the 2,4-D in the concentration of 50:1 had a kill rate of60%. The Glyphosate employed alone had 0 grass kills. The buffered amineoxide employed alone in the 100:1 and 200:1 2,4-D all had 0 kills ofraspberry or grass. The combination of the 2,4-D with the buffered amineoxide each in a 50:1 concentration had a 100% kill rate, in a 100:1concentration had a 80% kill rate and 200:1 had a 60% kill rate, therebyshowing the synergistic action of the herbicide and buffered amine oxideto create a successful kill rate in a range of concentrations in respectof raspberry. This shows that in areas where it is desired to killcertain plants such as raspberry, this combination provides an effectivechoice. This combination was effective in the concentration ranges ofabout 50:1 through 200:1 with the preferred range being about 50:1 to100:1.

Considering the Buffered Amine Oxide formulations in combination withGlyphosate each in concentrations of 50:1, 100:1 and 200:1, there wererespectively 90%, 90% and 70% killing of grass.

It would appear that the combination of Glyphosate and buffered amineoxide each within the range of 50:1 through 200:1, would kill grass withthe preferred range being about 50:1 to 100:1. It is well known that2,4-D does not kill grass.

The test results of TABLE 1, therefore, shows that combinations ofherbicide with buffered amine oxide formulation can be selected in sucha way as to kill a plant considered to be a weed while not having anynegative effect on the health of the grass or, in the alternative,killing a plant considered to be a weed while killing grass also.

The buffered amine oxide solution was added to the diluted herbicidesolution on a volume to volume basis.

The same buffered amine oxide system employed in the tests reported inTABLE 1 were employed in connection with TABLE 2.

On Jun. 14 of 2005, further trials were conducted near WarrenPennsylvania, USA to evaluate the contribution of certain formulationcomponents to herbicide performance from the Jun. 2, 2004 Buffered AmineOxide system. The same field trial methods were used. The control wasdistilled water.

TABLE 2 Herbicide Type Product Weed Type and Concentrate ComponentPercent Weight of Buffered Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % Dilution Amine Oxide Formula(Jun. 2, 2004)⁽⁸⁾ 1 Year V/V Ethylene After Application⁽⁵⁾ 2,4-D⁽⁶⁾Glyphosate⁽⁷⁾ Glycol 5 Mol Borax Boric Acid Barlox 12 Raspberry Grass⁽⁴⁾   0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾    0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾  50:1 50  200:1 0 0.07 0 0 0.044 0 0 0.037 0 00.305 0 0 200:1 0.07 0 200:1 0.07 0.044 0 200:1 0.07 0.044 0.037 0 200:10.07 0.044 0.037 0.305 70   50:1 50  200:1 0 200:1 0.07 0 200:1 0.070.044 0 200:1 0.07 0.044 0.037 0 200:1 0.07 0.044 0.037 0.305 70 

The two herbicides which were tested were 2,4-D and Glyphosate. Theywere used in concentrations of 50:1 and 200:1. The vegetations testedwere raspberry and grass. The components of the various elementsemployed in the buffered amine oxide formula are expressed in weightpercent of the total buffered amine oxide formula. As seen in TABLE 2,Ethylene Glycol, 5 Mol Borax, Boric Acid and Barlox 12 which has 30% of12 carbon length amine oxide, employed alone, failed to kill either theraspberry (weed) or grass. The first three components were tested at200:1 strength with the Ethylene Glycol used alone, the Ethylene Glycolused in combination with 5 Mol Borax and Ethylene Glycol, 5 Mol Boraxand Boric Acid used in combination. None of these killed the weeds. Thecombination of the four components and 2,4-D resulted in 70% killing ofthe weed (raspberry) as compared with the 50:1 2,4-D alone killing 50%of the raspberry and 200:1 alone having 0 kills of the raspberry.

Where a “0” appears in a block in TABLE 2, this means there were nokills. Where a block is blank, this means that no measurement was taken.

Referring to the Glyphosate, it, in a 50:1 concentration alone killed50% of the grass. The 200:1 Glyphosate with the first three componentsshown in TABLE 2 under the amine oxide formula alone and in combination,had 0 kills of grass and the 200:1 Glyphosate alone had 0 kills ofgrass. The use of all four components resulted at 200:1 Glyphosateconcentration resulted in 70% kill of grass.

In July of 2006, the final impact on long term weed kill tests confirmedthe following:

-   1) Ethylene Glycol alone added no benefit to Herbicide performance.-   2) 5 Mol Borax alone or in combination with Glycol added no benefit    to Herbicide performance.-   3) Boric Acid alone or in combination with Glycol added no benefit    to Herbicide performance.-   4) Barlox 12 (30% of 12 carbon length amine oxide) added no benefit    alone or in combination with the other components individually.-   5) The full four component Buffered Amine Oxide formula provided    performance benefits to both Herbicides.

The data, therefore, show that the 2,4-D in a concentration of 200:1,had a 0 kill rate and in a concentration of 50:1 had a 50% kill rate ofthe raspberry and, in combination in a concentration of 200:1 with theother four constituents in the indicated quantities, had a kill rate ofraspberry of 70%. Also, Glyphosate, in a concentration of 50:1 alone,had a 50% kill grass rate and the 200:1 concentration with the otherfour components, had a kill rate of 70%. See footnote 8 for TABLE 1 forbuffered amine oxide formulation which was also used in TABLES 2 and 3.

On Jun. 5, 2007 an additional field trial was conducted near Warren,Pa., USA to evaluate increased concentrations of buffer components usedin the Jun. 14, 2005 study in the Buffered Amine Oxide formula. The samefield trial methods were used except no Ethylene Glycol was used andonly Raspberry was tested with 2,4-D.

TABLE 3 shows additional testing of the herbicide 2,4-D with the sameingredients with 5 Mol Borax, Boric Acid and (Barlox 12) amine oxide inthe amount and a weight basis of about 25% to 35% and preferably about30%, but not Ethylene Glycol being employed and with the testing of theweed limited to raspberry. No testing with grass was performed. As wasthe case in TABLE 2, use of the herbicide 2,4-D in a 50:1 concentrationproduced a 50% kill rate one year after application. The use of 5 MolBorax in combination with Barlox 12 produced a 40% kill rate. The use of50:1, 2,4-D with Boric Acid and Barlox 12 in a 50:1 concentrationproduced a 50% kill rate. The use of 200:1, 2,4-D with all threecomponents in a 200:1 concentration produced a 70% kill rate. BoricAcid, when used alone even in double the concentration as compared withthe TABLE 2 reported experiments, did not produce any kills and evenwhen mixed with Barlox 12, produced at a 50:1 2,4-D concentration, thesame result as 2,4-D without these components. Also, the amine oxideemployed alone with the herbicide produced no benefit.

In July 2008, the final impact on long term weed kill (TABLE 3)confirmed the following:

-   1) Boric Acid alone (even when doubled the amount reported in    TABLE 2) provided no benefit to 2,4-D type Herbicide performance    even when mixed with amine oxide.-   2) 5 Mol Borax alone (even when doubled the amount reported in TABLE    2), provided no benefit to 2,4-D type Herbicide performance even    when mixed with amine oxide.-   3) Amine oxide alone and with herbicides provided no benefit.-   4) Boric Acid and 5 Mol Borax combinations provided no benefit    unless mixed with amine oxide.-   5) The buffer capacity of Boric Acid and 5 Mol Borax when used with    amine oxides (Barlox 12) provided substantial benefit to the    performance of the 2,4-D type herbicide.

TABLE 3 Herbicide Weed Type and Type Product Component Percent Weight ofBuffered Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % Concentrate Amine Oxide Formula (June 2, 2004)⁽⁸⁾ 1 Year After Dilution V/V Ethylene 5 Mol Boric Barlox Application⁽⁵⁾2,4-D⁽⁶⁾ Glycol Borax Acid 12 Raspberry  0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾  50:1 50 200:1  0 200:10.305  0  50:1 0.088 0.305 40 200:1 0.088  0 200:1 0.074  0  50:1 0.0740.305 50 200:1 0.044 0.037  0 200:1 0.044 0.037 0.305 70

The data shown in TABLE 3 shows clearly that, even at the lesserconcentration of 50:1 employed with the herbicide 2,4-D alone, orherbicide 200:1 in combination with 5 Mol Borax and Barlox 12 amineoxide, did not produce as good a result as the 200:1 use of 5 Mol Borax,Boric Acid and Barlox 12 which had a 70% kill rate.

TABLES 4-6 describe, respectively, the preparation of the buffer systememployed in the Warren, Pa. experiments reported in TABLES 7 and 8, withTABLE 5 referring to the experimental method and TABLE 6 showing a groupof buffer systems pH and total Ion strengths.

TABLE 4 recites the composition of buffer systems 1-5 that were used instudies conducted in September, 2012 near Warren, Pa. Buffer systems 1-5were prepared by dissolving the appropriate reagents into one liter ofdeionized water until a homogenous solution was obtained. TABLE 4 shows,in the left hand column, the number assigned to a particular buffer withcolumn 2 containing the abbreviated name or full name of the buffers.The amount of acidic chemical per liter and basic chemical per literappear in the next two pairs of columns.

TABLE 4 Buffer Systems 1-5 Composition Acidic Chemical Basic ChemicalBuffer Buffer System Name (per liter) (per liter) No. (Abbreviated Name)Amount Name Amount Name 1 Ammonium/Ammonia 1.0 mol Ammonium 0.5 molSodium Hydroxide (Ammonia Buffer) Chloride 2 Deprotonated Lysine/ 1.0mol Lysine 1.5 mol Sodium Hydroxide Doubly Deprotonated Lysine (LysineBuffer) 3 Potassium Phosphate 0.5 mol Potassium 0.5 mol PotassiumMonobasic/ Phosphate Phosphate Potassium Phosphate Dibasic MonobasicDibasic (Phosphate Buffer 1) 4 Potassium Bicarbonate/ 0.5 mol Potassium0.5 mol Potassium Potassium Carbonate Bicarbonate Carbonate (CarbonateBuffer) 5 Boric Acid/Borax 4.0 mol Boric Acid 1.0 mol Borax (BorateBuffer)

TABLE 5 shows the experimental method employed in preparation of thepre-blended amine oxide and buffer systems. The compositions of buffersystems A and B identify the buffer system name in the first column withthe next two columns providing identification of the acidic chemical andweight percent amount followed by the amount of basic chemical and thename. The last two columns provide the water weight percent and Barlox12 (30% by weight amine oxide donor.) TABLE 5 discloses the compositionof pre-blended Amine Oxide and Buffer Systems A and B that were used inthe studies. Buffer systems A and B were prepared by dissolving theappropriate reagent salts in water and then adding the amine oxide donorin sufficient amount to make one liter of solution.

TABLE 5 Pre-blended Buffer Systems A and B Composition Barlox 12 (30% byweight amine oxide) Amine Acidic Chemical Basic Chemical Water oxideBuffer Buffer System Name Amount Amount Amount Donor Letter (AbbreviatedName) (wt %) Name (wt %) Name (wt %) (wt %) A Potassium PhosphateDibasic/ 6.23 Potassium 3.02 Potassium 10.75 80.00 Potassium PhosphateTribasic Phosphate Phosphate (Phosphate Buffer 2) Dibasic Tribasic BPotassium Phosphate Monobasic/ 4.36 Potassium 3.13 Potassium 12.51 80.00Potassium Phosphate Dibasic Phosphate Phosphate (Phosphate Buffer 3)Monobasic Dibasic

TABLE 6 shows the pH and total ion strength of buffer systems 1-5 andsystems A and B.

TABLE 6 shows the pH and buffer total Ion strengths (Molar) for buffersystems 1-5 and A and B. The buffer systems preferably have a pH ofabout 5 to 12 and most preferably of about 7.5 to 10.5.

TABLE 6 Buffer System pH and Total Ion Strengths Buffer Total BufferBuffer System Name pH Ion Strength No. (Abbreviated Name) (BufferSystem) (Molar) 1 Ammonium/Ammonia 9.5  1.05M (Ammonia Buffer) 2Deprotonated Lysine/ 10.5 0.978M Doubly Deprotonated Lysine (LysineBuffer) 3 Potassium Phosphate 6.8  1.05M Monobasic/ Potassium PhosphateDibasic (Phosphate Buffer 1) 4 Potassium Bicarbonate/ 10.2 0.995MPotassium Carbonate (Carbonate Buffer) 5 Boric Acid/Borax 7.7  4.95M(Borate Buffer) A Potassium Phosphate Dibasic/ 12.1 0.500M PotassiumPhosphate Tribasic/ (Phosphate Buffer 2)

Referring to TABLE 7, it is shown that the 2,4-D herbicide employed withtwo different buffers, i.e., the Barlox 12 (12 carbon length buffer)designated 12 in TABLE 7 and Barlox 1218 which is a mixture of 12 and 18carbon lengths, is shown as 1218 in this table. In a preferredembodiment in 1218 on a weight basis, the 12 carbon length will bepresent in an amount of about 1.3 to 2.0 times the amount of 18 carbonlength and in the preferred range about 1.5 to 1.8 times the amount of18 carbon length. The weed types and kill rates viewed ten months afterapplication, are shown for a multiflora rose, raspberry and blackberry.

TABLE 7 Sep. 1, 2012 to Jul. 4, 2013 Herbicide Type Buffered Amine OxideSystem Product Buffer Number & Amine Oxide Weed Type and Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ %Concentrate No Donor or Letter⁽⁹⁾ 10 Months After Application⁽⁵⁾Dilution v/v Buffer 1 2 3 4 5 A B Multiflora Black- 2,4-D⁽⁶⁾ 12 1218 121218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 Rose Raspberry berry   0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾    0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾    0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾  50:1 0⁽²⁾ 90⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾ 100:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 50⁽²⁾ 200:1 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 10⁽²⁾  30⁽²⁾  200:1 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 400:10⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 90⁽²⁾  60⁽²⁾  200:1 200:160⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 40⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾200:1 200:1 100⁽²⁾  50⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 90⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾ 200:1 200:1 80⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  70⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 60⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  30⁽²⁾  200:10⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 200:1 200:1 100⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 50⁽²⁾  60⁽²⁾  40⁽²⁾ 200:1 200:1 100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  80⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 90⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:10⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 200:1 30⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 30⁽²⁾ 30⁽²⁾  70⁽²⁾  200:1 200:1 100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  90⁽²⁾  200:1 400:1 100⁽²⁾ 90⁽²⁾  9⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 400:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1 160:1 50⁽²⁾  50⁽²⁾  50⁽²⁾  200:1 320:150⁽²⁾  50⁽²⁾  50⁽²⁾  160:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 320:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 200:1160:1 0⁽²⁾ 100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  200:1 320:1 0⁽²⁾ 100⁽²⁾  100⁽²⁾  160:1 0⁽²⁾0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 320:1 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾ 0⁽²⁾

The columns under the heading Buffered Amine Oxide System correspond tothe identification provided in TABLES 4 through 6.

In general, in the present invention, amine oxides were mixed withbuffers and then added to the herbicide formulations. Among thepreferred amine oxides were those of 12 carbon length such as that soldunder the trade designation Barlox 12 and a mixture of the 12 and 18carbon lengths sold under the trade designation Barlox 1218. The buffersolution serves to stabilize the pH at a nearly constant value in a widevariety of chemical operations.

In the present invention, the buffer system maintains a substantiallyconstant pH when in contact with biological systems. The buffer systemis an aqueous system consisting of a mixture of a weak acid in itsconjugate or a weak base in its conjugate acid. One may obtain thedesired buffer system by directly adding the weak acid/conjugate base orweak base/conjugate acid salts or by adding the weak acid/weak base anda strong acid/strong base in sufficient amount to form the conjugateacid/conjugate base.

These concepts can be extended to polyprotic species in which more thanone proton may be removed to form a different buffer systems such asphosphate systems. The preferred buffers include: ammonium salt/ammonia,Deprotonated Lysine/Doubly Deprotonated Lysine, Potassium PhosphateMonobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, Potassium Bicarbonate PotassiumCarbonate, Boric Acid/Borax, Potassium Phosphate Dibasic/PotassiumPhosphate Tribasic and Ammonium Citrate Tribasic. The herbicide typesutilized were: 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid dimethylamine salt (2,4-D) (alone and mixed with other chlorophenoxy types), glyphosate (aminesalts and ammonia salt types), and a blend of picrolam and triclopyr.

The tests involving the herbicides and buffered amine oxide systems weremonitored over time with a kill rate at a time in the next growingseason when any surviving part would normally grow. Kill was determinedby determining that a plant was completely dead and decaying. Positiveand negative controls were included in each study.

The amine oxide additives may be mixed as tank blends with theherbicides or may be incorporated into the herbicide formulas.

TABLE 4 shows 5 different buffers while TABLE 5 shows 2 types of amineoxide blends. TABLE 4 discloses systems wherein the appropriate reagentswere dissolved in deionized water until a homogenous solution wasobtained. TABLE 5 deals with the pre-blending of the amine oxide andbuffer systems with the appropriate reagents salts dissolved in waterand subsequently, adding the amine oxide donor.

TABLE 7 reports the tests of three different types of weeds. They aremultiflora rose, raspberry and blackberry as treated with herbicide,2,4-D in concentrations of 50:1, 100:1, 200:1 in combination withbuffered amine oxide systems having of the 12 or 1218 length variety andthe specific buffers indicated by the numbers 1-5 and A and B as setforth in Tables 4 through 6.

As shown in TABLE 7, amine oxides 12 and 1218 without the buffer had 0kills for all three weeds.

As shown in TABLE 7, the concentration of 50:1 of the herbicide aloneprovided a high kill rate of 90% on the raspberry and blackberry targetweeds, but no kill on the multiflora rose. Concentrations of 100:1 and200:1 of the herbicide without the amine oxide system produced no killson any of the three tested weeds.

Buffer No. 1 in the buffered amine oxide of 12 carbon length (Barlox-12)12 column when used with 2,4-D, at the 200:1 concentration showed a 50%kill on blackberry and the 400:1 concentration showed a 10% kill onraspberry and 30% kill on blackberry. The buffered amine oxide mixed 12and 18 carbon length (Barlox 1218) 1218 column with the buffer amineoxide system 1 showed no kills at concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 inboth the 12 and the 1218 categories when each was combined with the2,4-D herbicide. When buffered amine oxide system 1 in both the 12 and1218 categories was employed without the herbicide 2,4-, inconcentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 respectively, no kills wereexperienced.

Where buffer system 2 was employed in combination with 200:1, 2,4-D inthe 12 category with 400:1 concentration there was no kill of multiflorarose, 90% kill of raspberry and 60% kill of blackberry. With 200:1 1218length, there were kills respectively of 60%, 90% and 90% and with 400:1there were kills respectively of 40%, 90%, 90%.

Buffer amine system No. 3 in the 12 carbon length category hadconcentrations of 200:1 showed 100% kill of the multiflora rose, 50%kill of the raspberry and 100% kill of the blackberry. When used with400:1 concentration, there was 90% kill on the multiflora rose, 90% killon blackberry and 90% kill on the raspberry. In the 1218 category forbuffered amine oxide system No. 3, the 200:1 concentration resulted inkills of the multiflora rose of 80%, raspberry 90% and blackberry 70%.When this was diluted to 400:1, the respective kill rates were 60%, 90%and 30%.

Buffered amine oxide No. 4 was the best performer and was superior tobuffered amine oxide No. 3 in most categories.

When the buffered amine oxide system No. 4 was employed without the2,4-D in both the 12 and 1218 categories, no kills were experienced forany of the three categories of weeds tested. When buffered amine oxidesystem No. 4 was employed with the 2,4-D herbicide, the 12 embodimenthad kills respectively of 100%, 90% and 100% and, at the 400:1concentration, had kills of 50, 60 and 40. With the 1218 carbon lengthuse in buffered amine oxide system, at 200:1 there were kills at 100%for the multiflora rose and raspberry and 80% for the blackberry. Atconcentrations of 400:1, the kill rate as to the multiflora rose droppedto 90%, the raspberry remained at 100% and the blackberry, went to 100%.When the buffered amine oxide system No. 4 was employed alone inconcentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 with both the 12 and 1218, no killswere experienced with any of the weeds.

In buffered amine oxide system No. 5, with the 12 carbon length and the2,4-D herbicide at concentration of 200:1, there was 30% kill for themultiflora rose and 100% for both the raspberry and blackberry. When theconcentration was diluted to 400:1, the multiflora rose remained at 30%kill, the raspberry kill dropped to 30% and the blackberry dropped to70%. With respect to the same amine oxide system and 1218 carbon lengthat a concentration of 200:1, the kill with respect to multiflora roseand raspberry was 100% and blackberry 90%. When the concentration wasreduced to 400:1, the kills were respectively 100%, 90% and 90%. Thesesame amine oxide system No. 5 in concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1, asto both the 12 and 1218 carbon lengths without the 2,4-D, showed 0 killsin all three categories of weed. These results reaffirm the conclusionthat the combination of the herbicide in a reduced concentration withthe buffered amine systems produces effective weed kills while usingless herbicide.

Systems A and B were pre-blended. The buffered amine oxide system A withthe carbon length of 12 in concentration of 160:1 in combination with200:1, 2-4-D, produced 50% kill on all three weeds. The same kill ratewas obtained when the concentration was decreased to 320:1. When thebuffered amine oxide system with 12 was employed without the 2,4-D, nokills were achieved at either concentration of the buffer system.

With regard to the B buffered amine oxide system which employed amixture of 12 and 18 carbon lengths, when combined with 2,4-D at 200:1concentration and either 160:1 or 320:1 concentration, no kills wereexperienced with respect to the multiflora rose, but 100% kills wereexperienced with the raspberry and blackberry.

Summarizing the data supported by TABLES 4 through 6 and reported inTABLE 7, it will be seen that the control group produced no kills on themultiflora rose, raspberry or blackberry. The 50:1 concentration of2,4-D without the buffered amine oxide system produced no kill on themultflora rose and 90% kill on the raspberry and blackberry. Use of the2,4-D herbicide in concentrations of 200:1 without the buffered amineoxide system, produced no kills. When, however, the 200:1 concentrationof the 2,4-D herbicide was employed with the buffered amine oxides ofeither the 12 length or 1218 carbon length in concentrations of 200:1 or400:1, there was substantial improvement in kill rate depending uponwhich buffered amine oxide system was employed and which weed was soughtto be killed. In general, this shows that by combining the herbicidewith the buffered amine oxide system, a synergistic effect is obtainedsuch that a smaller amount of the herbicide needed to be used and theresult was a greater kill rate as to some or all of the weeds. This wastrue in the 12 carbon length of buffered amine oxide system 1 and wasalso true of the both the 12 and 1218 carbon length systems of system 2.The same was true as to concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 in system 3 aswell as system 5 and system 6. Systems A and systems B employed 160:1and 320:1 concentrations of the buffered amine oxide. The pH of thebuffer systems were in the range of about 5 to 12 and, preferably, inthe range of about 7.7 to 10.5.

Looking at the 10 combinations of buffer in buffers 1 through 5 used incombination with 200:1 concentration of 2,4-D, nine of the tencombinations produced greatly enhanced kill rates. None of the bufferedamine oxide combinations controls provided any kill without the use of200:1 2,4-D herbicide. Both of the pre-blended buffer amine oxidesystems provided greatly enhanced kill when used with 200:1 2,4-D.

The herbicide concentration range may be about 25:1 to 800:1 andpreferably about 50:1 to 400:1. The buffered amine oxide concentrationrange may be about 50:1 to 400:1 and preferably about 100:1 to 800:1.The solution may have a combined herbicide and buffered amine oxideconcentration on a volume to volume basis of about 50:1 to 800:1.

Turning to TABLE 8, this shows the results of testing herbicideglyphosate against grasses.

TABLE 8 Sep. 2, 2012 to Jul. 4, 2013 Herbicide Type Buffered Amine OxideSystem Product Buffer Number & Amine Oxide Concentrate No Donor orLetter⁽⁹⁾ Weed Type and Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % Dilution v/v Buffer 1 2 3 4 5 AB 10 Months After Application⁽⁵⁾ Glyphosate⁽⁷⁾ 12 1218 12 1218 12 121812 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 Grasses   0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾  50:1 90⁽³⁾  100:1 50⁽³⁾  200:1 20⁽³⁾  200:1 200:190⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 50⁽³⁾  200:1 200:1 90⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 80⁽³⁾  200:10⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 400:1 90⁽³⁾  200:1 200:190⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 90⁽³⁾  200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾200:1 200:1 100⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 100⁽³⁾  200:1 200:1 100⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1100⁽³⁾  200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 200:1 90⁽³⁾ 200:1 400:1 80⁽³⁾  200:1 200:1 80⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 80⁽³⁾  200:1 0⁽³⁾400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 200:1 80⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 80⁽³⁾ 200:1 200:1 50⁽³⁾  200:1 400:1 50⁽³⁾  200:1 0⁽³⁾ 400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 0⁽³⁾400:1 0⁽³⁾ 200:1 160:1 30⁽³⁾  200:1 320:1 30⁽³⁾  160:1 0⁽³⁾ 320:1 0⁽³⁾200:1 160:1 30⁽³⁾  200:1 320:1 30⁽³⁾  160:1 0⁽³⁾ 320:1 0⁽³⁾ See Table 1Footnotes NOTE: 50.2% glyphosate isopropylamine salt used instead of 27%concentrate NOTE: The different buffer Systems, Amine Oxides, andPre-blended System as shown in Tables 4, 5 and 6

Referring to TABLE 8, there is shown a series of tests with thematerials shown in TABLES 4, 5 and 6. The Glyphosate herbicide used inthe tests reported in TABLE 8 were 50.2% Glyphosate Isopropylamine saltinstead of the 27% concentrate. The tested grasses were mixed fesquesand crab grasses.

As shown in TABLE 8, the tests performed with no buffer and no herbicidein concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 produced no killing of grass. Theherbicide alone in a concentration of 50:1 killed 90% of the grass. In aconcentration of 100:1, the herbicide alone killed 50% of the grass, andin a concentration of 200:1, killed 20% of the grass.

When buffered amine oxide system No. 1 was employed in a concentrationof 200:1 in combination with the Glyphosate of 200:1, 90% of the grasswas killed. In all of the tests appearing below in TABLE 8, theGlyphosate was used in a concentration of 200:1. When amine oxide system1 was employed in the concentration of 400:1 with the Glyphosate, thekill rate of the grass was 50% 12 length version. There were similarnumbers with the 1218 at 200:1 were 90% and 400:1, 80%. When amine oxidesystem No. 1 was employed in 12 and 1218 without the Glyphosate, therewas no killing of grass.

When buffered amine oxide system No. 2 was employed in the 12 version at400:1, 90% of the grass was killed with the 12 version and 90% waskilled at 200:1 and 400:1 with the 1218 version. Use of amine oxidesystem No. 2 alone in both the 12 and 1218 carbon lengths, respectively,at 200:1 and 400:1, killed no grass. It is the combination of theGlyphosate and the buffered amine oxide system which resulted in thedesired high level of grass kills. Looking at buffered amine oxidesystem No. 3 in concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 for the 12 version,and 200:1 and 400:1 in the 1218 version, there was 100% destruction ofthe grass. The buffered amine oxide system No. 3, when employed in boththe 12 and 1218 version without the Glyphosate, resulted in no killingof grass.

When amine oxide system No. 4 in combination with the Glyphosate at the200:1 level, 90% of the grass was killed and at the 400:1 level, 80% waskilled, both in the 12 version. In the 1218 version, at 200:1 and 400:1,the kill rate was 80%. Use of this amine oxide system without theGlyphosate in both the 12 and 1218 versions, produced no kill of grass.

The amine oxide system No. 5, when employed in the 12 version at 200:1and 400:1, resulted in 80% grass kill and, in the 1218 at both the 200:1and 400:1 concentration, resulted in 50% grass kill. Use of this amineoxide system without the Glyphosate in both the 12 and 1218 versions,produced no grass killing. With regard to amine oxide system A incombination with the Glyphosate at both concentrations 160:1 and 320:1,there was a 30% grass kill and, in the same respective concentrationswithout the use of Glyphosate, there was no grass kill. With regard toamine oxide system B in the 160:1 and 320:1 concentrations incombination with the Glyphosate, there was, in each case, 30% kill anduse of this alone resulted in no grass kill.

The formulations employed in the New Zealand tests used the followingmaterials:

Glyphosate 88WSG (a wettable powder)

Glyphosate 80% w/w (Active Ingredient)

Ammonia 8.2% w/w (Neutralizer)

Proprietary non-ionic Surfactant 11.8% w/w

2,4-D Amine 800WDG

2,4-D Acid 80.0% w/w (Active Ingredient)

Dimethylamine 17.0% w/w (Neutralizer)

Proprietary Surfactant Up to 13.0% w/w

Picloram 20G

Picloram amine salt 3% w/w (Active Ingredient)

Dye <0.1% w/w

Inert Granule Agent Up to 100% w/w

Trichloram Brushkiller

Triclopyr BEE (95% active) 41.7% w/v (Active Ingredient)

Picloram Acid 10% w/v (Acid Ingredient)

Proprietary amine 5 to 10% w/v (Neutralizer, based on in-process pH)

Proprietary emulsifier 10 to 15% w/v

Glycol Ether DE Up to 100% w/v Solvent

In the United States tests, the materials were applied to the plants bya low volume hand volume metric sprayer. In the New Zealand tests, aconventional farm boom sprayer was employed to distribute the materials.

In the New Zealand tests, four acres were employed. The first acre ofgrass pasture was sprayed with 2,4-D type herbicide at the label ratedilution and label rate application. A second acre was sprayed with atank mix of 2,4-D herbicide at one-half the label rate of dilution plusthe buffered amine oxide formula diluted 200:1. A third acre was sprayedwith Glyphosate herbicide at label dilution rate and label applicationrate. Finally, a fourth acre was sprayed with a mix of Glyphosate atone-half the label rate dilution plus the buffered amine oxide formuladiluted 200:1. Inspection after 13 months after application of thepasture sprayed with only 2,4-D had a total of weed kill of only 50%compared to adjacent unsprayed acre of control pasture. The pasturesprayed with 2,4-D and buffered amine oxide formula had an 80% targetweed kill rate. After 13 months, the pasture sprayed with onlyGlyphosate had a total grass kill of 30% compared to the adjacentunsprayed acre of control pasture. The pasture sprayed with Glyphosateand buffered amine oxide had a 70% kill rate.

A further test in New Zealand was conducted on 40 wilding Radiata pineswith a low volume hand sprayer. Twenty wilding pines were sprayed with alocal picrolam type herbicide at label rate dilution and label rateapplication. Another 20 wilding pines were sprayed with a tank mix ofpicrolam at one-half the label rate dilution plus the buffered amineoxide formula diluted 200:1. After four months, the wilding pinessprayed with only picrolam had a kill rate of 40% compared to theadjacent wilding pine unsprayed controls while those sprayed withpicrolam and buffered amine oxide with had a 80% kill rate.

The results of these tests are tabulated in TABLES 9 through 14. It wasfound that that using an amine oxide in the PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate Buffer system with Glyphosate at thelowest label recommendation was most productive. The buffered amineoxide additive to Glyphosate significantly outperformed the standaloneherbicide at each of the readings. The 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic aciddimethylamine salt with amine oxide and the PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate buffer system outperformed thestandalone herbicide on ferns. The second best buffered amine oxide wasPotassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic with amineoxide when the combination with the same herbicide against the sametarget organisms. Other buffers tested shows significant ability toincrease the performance of all types of herbicide tested.

TABLE 9 February 2013 to November 2013 Her- bicide Type Product Concen-Buffered Amine Oxide System trate Buffer Number & Amine Oxide DilutionNo Donor or Letter⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾ Weed Type and Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % v/v Buffer 1 2 34 5 6 8 240 Days After Application⁽⁴⁾ 2,4-D⁽⁶⁾ 12 1218 12 1218 12 121812 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 1218 Broom Fern Gorse  0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾   0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾    0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾ 200:1  0  0 0 400:1 200:1  0  0 0 400:1  50:1  5060 50  100:1  30 20 30  150:1  20 10 0 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1400:1 100 200:1  0 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 100 200:1 400:1 100200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 90  200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 100 100 100  200:1 400:1 100 100  200:1 200:1 100 100  200:1 400:1 100 100 200:1  0  0 0 400:1 200:1  0  0 0 400:1 200:1 200:1 30 200:1 400:1  5030 40  200:1 200:1  40 50 200:1 400:1  60 60  200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1  60 200:1 160:1 200:1320:1 160:1 320:1 ⁽¹⁾Water controls ⁽²⁾10 plants: 20 milliliter appliedper plant ⁽³⁾200 milliliter per plant ⁽⁴⁾Low volume hand applied spray5) Commercial concentrate containing 100 gram per liter picloram aminesalt and, 300 gram per liter triclopyr butoxy ethyl ether ⁽⁶⁾Commercialconcentrate containing 800 gram per kilogram 2,4-D Dimethylamine salt 7)Commercial concentrate containing 800 gram per kilogram glyphosateammonium salt ⁽⁸⁾Buffers, amine oxides, and pre-blended systems areshown in Tables 4, 5, and 6 with exception that pre-blend A was nottested and a different Buffer shown in Tables 10 and 11 was added asBuffer No. 6 ⁽⁹⁾Buffers and amine oxides were added to dilute herbicidesolutions, volume to volume ⁽¹⁰⁾No activity of a living plant: dead anddecaying

TABLE 10 Buffer System 6 Composition Acidic Chemical Basic ChemicalBuffer Buffer System Name (per liter) (per liter) No. (Abbreviated Name)Amount Name Amount Name 6 Ammonium/Citrate 3.0 mol Ammonium 1.0 molCitrate Tribasic (Ammonia Citrate Tribasic Buffer)

TABLE 11 Buffer System pH and Total Ion Strengths Buffer Total IonBuffer Buffer System Name pH (Buffer Strength No. (Abbreviated Name)System) (Molar) 6 Ammonium/Citrate Tribasic 6.8 4.00M (Ammonia CitrateTribasic Buffer)

Turning to TABLE 9, the buffered amine oxides and pre-blended systemsshown in TABLES 4, 5 and 6 were employed in these tests with theexception that pre-blend A was substituted for the buffer 6 shown inTABLES 10 and 11. The tests were performed against the weeds, broom,fern and gorse.

Referring to Footnotes 2 and 3 of TABLE 9, the quantities of thesolution applied to the plants were either 20 milliliters per plant(Footnote 2) or 200 milliliters per plant (Footnote 3).

The 2,4-D herbicide was the commercial concentrate containing 8 gramsper kilogram of 2,4-D. The no buffer category as to both the 12 and 1218in concentrations 200:1 and 400:1 provided no weed kill. The herbicide2,4-D used alone at a concentration of 50:1 had 50% kill on broom, 60%kill on fern and 50% kill on gorse. At 100:1 concentration, this killrate was reduced respectively to 30%, 20% and 30% and at concentration150:1, this kill rate was reduced to 20%, 10%, and 0%.

In table 9 where there was use of 2,4-D alone in concentrations of 50:1,100:1, 150:1, there was, starting with the 50:1, killings of 50, 60 and50 and, with the next two, reduced amounts. In connection with bufferedamine oxide system no. 2 with the 1218 in a 400:1 concentration as incombination with the 2,4-d, there was 100% killing of broom. Inconnection with buffered amine oxide system no. 3 at both the 200:1 andthe 400:1 concentrations, there was 100% kill on the broom and with the1218 at 400:1, there was a 90% kill of gorse.

Buffered amine oxide system no. 4 as to both the 12 and the 1218 had avery impressive 100% kill as to broom and fern and 100% kill as to the200:1 on the gorse.

TABLES 10 and 11 show properties of Buffer No. 6.

TABLE 12 shows the use of 2,4-D in testing a number of buffered amineoxide systems as against the New Zealand blackberry which is differentfrom the North American blackberry. The buffer systems in TABLE 5, 12through 14 are the same as those identified by the same numbers andletters in TABLES 4 through 6. The amine oxide without buffer as to both12 and 1218 in concentrations of 200:1 and 400:1 produced 0 kills. Itwill be noted that 2,4-D in concentrations of 50:1, 100:1 and 150:1without a buffer amine oxide system had no kills. When the 2,4-D wascombined with 200-1 carbon 12, 20 kills occurred and with 400-1, tenkills occurred. When it was used with 1218 carbon length, the 200:1concentration provided 30 kills. The buffered amine oxide system No. 2,when combined with 2,4-D with both having 200:1 concentration, had 40kills. Buffered amine oxide system No. 3 with the 1218 length at the200:1 concentration combined with the 200-1 2,4-D concentration, had 100kills and the buffering system, and with 400-1, had 90 kills. Withrespect to buffer amine oxide 4 and the combination of 200:1 2,4-D, andboth the 12 length and 1218 length at both concentrations of 200:1 and400:1, there was 100% kill.

Referring to TABLE 13, which reports tests of Glyphosate against gorseand blackberry, the no buffer test produced no kills. At a 25:1concentration, the Glyphosate alone had kills of gorse and blackberry,respectively, of 80 and 90. At 30:1, the kills were at 40 in bothcategories, and at 50:1, the kills were 10% for gorse and 20% forblackberry. At 100:1 herbicide, the buffered amine oxide system 1 at alength of 12 for 200:1 concentration, had a kill rate of 70% and at200:1 concentration of 1218, had a kill rate of 90%. At 100:1 ofglyphosate and 200:1 12 length, buffered amine oxide system No. 4 had100% kill of both gorse and blackberry. At 400:1, both the 12 and 1218length, the respective killing was 90% and 100% and, at 1218 200:1, itwas 90%.

Referring to TABLE 14 which employed Picloram and Triclopyr as theherbicides, and broom, fern and gorse as the weeds being challenged, ata 50:1 concentration, the herbicide alone killed 60%, 30% and 30% of therespective weeds. At 100:1, these percentages dropped to 30%, 40%, 30%and at 150:1, they dropped to 0%, 20%, 20%. When used in combinationwith buffered amine oxide system No. 1 at the 12 length diluted 200:1 itproduced a kill of 40% on the broom and 70% on gorse and at the 400:1percent at the 12 level, killed 60% of gorse. With regard to the 1218length of No. 1 at 200:1, the kill percentage was 50%, and 400:1, it was60%. With a 200:1 concentration of the herbicide, and 200:1concentration of buffered amine oxide system No. 3, length 12, 100% ofthe broom was killed and at 400:1 of buffer No. 3, 100% of the broom waskilled. At the 1218 length of system No. 3 at 200:1 concentration, 100%of the broom was killed and 90% of the gorse with the identical resultbeing received for the same system and length at a concentration of400:1.

The combination of the herbicide with amine oxide buffer system No. 4 atthe 1218 length at a concentration of 200:1 produced 100% destruction offern and gorse and at the 400:1 concentration, 100% destruction of thefern and gorse.

TABLE 12 February 2013 to November 2013 Buffered Amine Oxide System WeedType Herbicide Type Buffer Number & Amine Oxide and Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ %Product Concentrate No Donor or Letter⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾ 240 Months Dilution v/vBuffer 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 After Application⁽⁴⁾ 2,4-D⁽⁶⁾ 12 1218 12 1218 121218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 1218 Blackberry    0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ 200:1  0400:1 200:1  0 400:1  50:1  0 100:1  0 150:1  0 200:1 200:1 20 200:1400:1 10 200:1 200:1 30 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:140 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 100 200:1 400:1 90 200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 100  200:1 400:1 100  200:1 200:1100  200:1 400:1 100  200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 90200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 50 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1400:1 200:1 160:1 200:1 320:1 80 160:1

TABLE 13 February 2013 to November 2013 Weed Type and Herbicide TypeBuffered Amine Oxide System Kill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % Product Buffer Number &Amine Oxide 240 Days Concentrate No Donor or Letter⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾ AfterApplication⁽⁴⁾ Dilution v/v Buffer 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 Black- Glyphosate⁽⁷⁾ 121218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 1218 Gorse berry   0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾    0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1  25:1 80 90  30:1 40 40 50:1 10 20 100:1 200:1 70 100:1 400:1 90 100:1 200:1 100:1 400:1 200:1400:1 200:1 400:1 100:1 400:1 60 100:1 200:1 100:1 400:1 70 200:1 400:1200:1 400:1 100:1 200:1 100:1 400:1 90 100:1 200:1 90 100:1 400:1 90 90200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 100:1 200:1 100  100  100:1 400:1 90 100  100:1200:1 90 100:1 400:1 90 100  200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1400:1 60 80 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 100:1 200:1100:1 400:1 70 100:1 200:1 70 100:1 400:1 200:1 160:1 200:1 320:1

TABLE 14 February 2013 to November 2013 Herbicide Type Product BufferedAmine Oxide System Weed Type and Concentrate Buffer Number & Amine OxideKill Rate⁽¹⁰⁾ % Dilution v/v No Donor or Letter⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾ 240 Days Picloram& Buffer 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 After Application⁽⁴⁾ Triclopyr⁽⁵⁾ 12 1218 12 121812 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 12 1218 1218 Broom Fern Gorse  0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾ 0⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾  0⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾ 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1  50:1  60  30  30 100:1  30 40  30 150:1  0  20  70 200:1 200:1  40  70 200:1 400:1  60 200:1 200:1 50 200:1 400:1  60 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1  80 200:1 200:1 80 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 100 200:1 400:1 100100 200:1 200:1 100  90 200:1 400:1 100  90 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1200:1 200:1 100 200:1 400:1  40  90 200:1 200:1 100 100 200:1 400:1 100100 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1  50  50  80 200:1 400:1  40200:1 200:1  70  80 200:1 400:1  50  80 200:1 400:1 200:1 400:1 200:1200:1  80 200:1 400:1 200:1 200:1 200:1 400:1 200:1 160:1  50  80  90200:1 320:1  70 160:1 320:1

The pre-blending as in systems 1 through 5 and subsequent blending as inA and B produced similar results.

In practicing the method of the present invention, one would obtain thedesired herbicide in a concentrate form in liquid or powder form anddilute it using a suitable solvent such as water to the concentrationdesired to be employed. One would then select the buffered amine oxidedesired in concentrate form and dilute it with a suitable solvent, suchas water, to achieve the concentration desired. The two solutions arethen mixed in a suitable blender to achieve a homogenous solution forspraying.

The solution so created is then applied in the area of the weeds to bekilled directly to the weeds. While the testing performed generally hadfollow-up at a follow-up review about a year later to make sure that noregrowth had occurred, it will be appreciated that, for most weeds,killing is completed within about one to two months or less afterinitial spraying.

The herbicide buffered amine oxide system of the present invention maybe applied to the weeds by many means depending upon the nature of theweed and the quantity and location of the same. In general, sprayingthrough a hand sprayer, a conventional agricultural sprayer or evenaerial distribution from an airplane may be employed. In spraying, itwill generally be desired to spray the foliage. For trees, woody plants,and some others, the solution may be injected into the plant, applied tocut surfaces of the plant or placed at the base of the plant where itwill leach into the plant roots. The sprayable solution having acombined herbicide solution and buffered amine oxide solutionconcentration on a volume to volume basis of about 50:1 to 800:1 andpreferably about 50:1 to 400:1.

It will be appreciated that the present invention may also be employedto use the herbicide and buffered amine oxide systems to destroy seeds,bulbs and roots of plants before they germinate and to apply the same tosoil to resist future emergence of weeds.

It will be appreciated that while the extensive tests reported hereinwere performed employing the most commonly used herbicides, otherherbicides may be employed, if desired.

It will be appreciated that in some instances where herbicides areemployed to kill weeds and yet certain plants such as grasses which in aparticular instance are not desired to be killed, an insecticide orfungicide may be blended with the solution of the present invention andapplied to the plants so that the weeds will be killed by the herbicide,but a herbicide which does not kill grasses would not kill the grasseswith the further benefit of the insecticide and fungicide serving toresist destruction of the grasses. The use of 2,4-D, for example, insuch cases, would function in this dual role while otherwise obtainingthe benefits of the weed killing aspects of the present invention alongwith preservation of plants which are not weeds.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been describedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilledin the art that numerous variations of the details of the presentinvention may be made without departing from the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of killing weeds comprising providing asolution having a herbicide admixed with a buffered amine oxide inwater, said solution characterized by the property of synergisticallykilling weeds to a greater extent than either said herbicide or saidbuffered amine oxide used alone, and applying said solution to saidweeds.
 2. The method of killing weeds of claim 1 comprising saidsolution be an aqueous solution with said herbicide having aconcentration in said solution on a volume to volume basis based on thetotal solution volume of about 25:1 to 800:1, and said buffered amineoxide concentration on a volume to volume basis in said solution ofabout 50:1 to 800:1.
 3. The method of killing weeds of claim 1comprising said buffered amine oxide selected from the group consistingof said buffered amine oxide selected from a group consisting ofPotassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic and PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate.
 4. The method of killing weeds of claim1 comprising said herbicide being present in an amount generally equalto the lowest label rate for said herbicide.
 5. The method of killingweeds of claim 1 comprising applying said solution by spraying the sameon said weeds.
 6. The method of killing weeds of claim 1 comprisingsubsequent to said spraying inspecting said weeds to confirm that thedesired weed kill has been achieved.
 7. The method of killing weeds ofclaim 5 comprising applying said spray by at least one method selectedfrom the group consisting of manual spraying, automated pump spraying,and aerial spraying.
 8. The method of killing weeds of claim 1comprising effecting said spraying in regions where weeds are closelyadjacent to plants which will not be killed by said solution.
 9. Themethod of claim 6 wherein said inspection is effected visually.
 10. Themethod of claim 2 wherein said herbicide has a concentration of about50:1 to 400:1 and said buffered amine oxide has a concentration of about100:1 to 400:1.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said herbicide isselected from the group consisting of 2,4-D, glyphosate, picrolam,tricolipyr and combinations thereof.
 12. The method of claim 1comprising said buffer amine oxide being selected from the groupconsisting of weak acid and its conjugate base and a weak base and itsconjugate acid.
 13. The method of claim 12 comprising said bufferedamine oxide being selected from the group consisting of ammoniumsalt/ammonia, Deprotonated Lysine/Doubly Deprotonated Lysine, PotassiumPhosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate, Boric Acid/Borax, Potassium PhosphateDibasic/Potassium Phosphate Tribasic and Ammonium Citrate Tribasic. 14.The method of claim 1 wherein said buffered amine oxide has a pH ofabout 5 to
 12. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein said buffered amineoxide has a pH of about 7.5 to 10.2.
 16. The method of claim 1comprising said buffered amine oxides selected from the group consistingof (a) 12 carbon length amine oxides and (b) a mixture of 12 and 18carbon length amine oxides.
 17. The method of claim 11 comprising saidherbicide being 2,4-D and being characterized by the property of notkilling weeds which are grass.
 18. The method of claim 11 wherein saidherbicide is glyphosate and is characterized by the property of killingweeds which are grass.
 19. The method of claim 1 wherein said solutionhas the property of effecting a higher weed kill percentage than eitherone of said herbicide and said buffer amine oxide applied to said weedalone.
 20. The method of claim 1 comprising said buffered amine oxidecontaining ethylene glycol, 5Mol borax, boric acid with each present inless than about 1% on a weight basis based on the total solution weight,and said amine oxide present in a weight percentage based on the entiresolution weight of at least about 25% with the balance of said solutionbeing solvent.
 21. The method of claim 20 comprising said amine oxideformula containing about 25 to 35 weight percent of said amine oxide.22. The method of claim 16 comprising said buffered amine oxide beingpresent in a concentration of about 200:1 to 400:1 on a volume to volumebasis.
 23. The method of claim 17 comprising said buffered amine oxidebeing 12 carbon length amine oxide and being selected from the groupconsisting of (a) potassium phosphate Monobasic/Potassium PhosphateDibasic, and (b) Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate and BoricAcid/Borax.
 24. The method of claim 23 comprising said buffered amineoxide being a mixture of 12 carbon length and 18 carbon length.
 25. Themethod of claim 23 comprising said buffered amine oxide system being 12carbon length.
 26. The method of claim 24 comprising said 12 carbonlength on a weight basis being present in an amount of about 1.3 to 2.0times the amount of 18 carbon length.
 27. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid buffered amine oxide is blended with a combination of amine oxideand a buffer selected from the group consisting (a) Potassium PhosphateDibasic/ Potassium Phosphate Tribasic, and (b) Potassium PhosphateMonobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic.
 28. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid buffered amine oxide is present in a concentration of about 160:1to 320:1 on a volume to volume basis.
 29. The method of claim 18 whereinsaid glyphosate is present in said solution in the concentration ofabout 100:1 to 200:1 on a volume to volume basis.
 30. The method ofclaim 29 comprising said buffered amine oxides selected from the groupconsisting of (a) 12 carbon length amine oxides and (b) a mixture of 12and 18 carbon length amine oxides.
 31. The method of claim 2 whereinsaid buffered amine oxide has a concentration of about 200:1 to 400:1.32. The method of claim 30 comprising said buffered amine oxide having a12 carbon length.
 33. The method of claim 30 comprising said bufferedamine oxide having a mixture of 12 carbon length and 18 carbon length.34. The method of claim 30 comprising said buffered amine oxide being 12carbon length amine oxide and said buffer system elected from the groupconsisting of (a) potassium phosphate Monobasic/Potassium PhosphateDibasic, and (b) Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate and BoricAcid/Borax.
 35. The method of claim 31 wherein said herbicide is presentin a concentration of about 50:1 to 200:1 on a volume to volume basis.36. The method of claim 1 comprising said buffered amine oxide being 12carbon length amine oxide and said buffer selected from the groupconsisting of (a) potassium phosphate monobasic/potassium phosphatedibasic and (b) potassium bicarbonate/potassium carbonate.
 37. Themethod of claim 19 comprising said buffered amine oxide having a mixtureof 12 carbon length and 18 carbon length and said buffer system selectedfrom the group consisting of (a) potassium phosphate monobasic/potassiumphosphate dibasic and (b) potassium bicarbonate/potassium carbonate, andsaid buffered amine oxide system at the concentration of about 200:1 to400:1 on a volume to volume basis.
 38. The method of claim 7 comprisingsaid buffered amine oxide system being selected from the groupconsisting of (a) 12 carbon length amine oxide and (b) a mixture of 12and 18 carbon length amine oxides.
 39. The method of claim 38 comprisingsaid buffered amine oxide system having a concentration of about 200:1to 400:1 on a volume to volume basis.
 40. The method of claim 38comprising said buffered amine oxide system comprising potassiumbicarbonate/potassium carbonate.
 41. The method of claim 12 comprisingsaid buffered amine oxide being selected from the group consisting of(a) Deprotonated Lycine/Doubly Deprotonated Lycine, (b) PotassiumPhosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, and (c) PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Cabonate.
 42. The method of claim 17 comprisingsaid 2,4-D being present in a concentration of about 200:1 to 400:1. 43.The method of claim 42 comprising said buffered amine oxide having acarbon length selected from the group consisting of (a) a carbon lengthof 12 and (b) a mixture of carbon lengths 12 and
 18. 44. The method ofclaim 1 comprising said buffered amine oxide being DeprotonatedLysine/Doubly Deprotonated Lysine.
 45. The method of claim 12 comprisingsaid buffered amine oxide being Potassium Phosphate Monobasic/PotassiumPhosphate Dibasic.
 46. The method of claim 42 comprising said bufferedamine oxide being Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate.
 47. Themethod of claim 46 comprising said buffered amine oxide having a carbonlength of
 12. 48. The method of claim 46 comprising said buffered amineoxide having a carbon length which is a mixture of lengths 12 and 18.49. The method of claim 19 comprising said buffered amine oxide beingAmmonium Citrate Tribasic.
 50. The method of claim 19 wherein saidbuffered amine oxide has a concentration of about 200:1 to 400:1 on avolume to volume basis.
 51. The method of claim 19 wherein said bufferedamine oxide is Potassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium PhosphateDibasic.
 52. The method of claim 16 employing said Glyphosate in aconcentration of about 100:1 to 200:1 on a volume to volume basis. 53.The method of claim 16 comprising said buffered amine oxide selectedfrom the group consisting of (a) Ammonium/Ammonia (b) PotassiumPhosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, and (c) PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate.
 54. The method of claim 11 comprisingsaid herbicide being selected from the group consisting of Picloram andTriclopy and combinations thereof.
 55. The method of claim 54 comprisingsaid buffered amine oxide having a concentration of about 160:1 to 320:1on a volume to volume basis.
 56. The method of claim 55 comprising saidherbicide being present in a range of 100:1 to 200:1 on a volume tovolume basis.
 57. The method of claim 56 comprising said buffered amineoxide having a concentration of about 200:1 to 400:1 on a volume tovolume basis.
 58. The method of claim 57 comprising said buffered amineoxide selected from the group consisting of (a) DeprotonatedLysine/Doubly Deprotonated Lysine, (b) Potassium PhosphateMonobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasic, (c) PotassiumBicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate, (d) Boric Acid/Borax and (e) PotassiumPhosphate Dibasic/Potassium Phosphate Tribasic.
 59. The method of claim58 comprising said buffered amine oxide selected from the groupconsisting of Potassium Phosphate Monobasic/Potassium Phosphate Dibasicand Potassium Bicarbonate/Potassium Carbonate.
 60. The method of claim58 comprising said buffered amine oxide selected from the groupconsisting of (a) 12 carbon length amine oxide and (b) a mixture of 12carbon length amine oxides and 18 carbon length amine oxides.
 61. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said solution has at least one materialselected from the group consisting of insecticides and fungicides,whereby employing a herbicide which does not kill certain plants, willenable insecticides and fungicides to preserve such plants.
 62. Themethod of claim 61 comprising employing as said herbicide 2,4-D, to killtargeted weeds while assisting with the preservation of plants desiredto be preserved.
 63. The method of claim 62 comprising employing saidmethod on grasses which are not killed by said herbicide.